The tough part is knowing where to begin. Robert Griffin III did so many things in one day: putting up unprecedented stats in his debut; winning on the road; injecting life into a fan base stung for the last 20 years; giving hope to a defense that too often had to play perfect.

In one game, Griffin showed why the Redskins traded away two future first-round picks to select him. Not that he gave any reason to doubt the move in the preseason, but he also didn’t provide a hint of what he pulled off Sunday. Griffin completed 19 of 26 passes for 320 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in Washington’s 40-32 win over New Orleans.

According to Elias Sports Bureau, he became the first player to pass for more than 300 yards, throw for two touchdowns and no interceptions in an NFL debut. He also became the first rookie to lead his team to at least 40 points since 1950, according to FOX Sports. Griffin added 42 yards on 10 runs.

“It was a lot of fun out there,” Griffin said.

His teammates had their own reviews. Here’s what they told reporters after the game:

— “He was captivating. If he continues to get better, the sky’s the limit,” nose tackle Barry Cofield said.

There was the matter of a botched play fake that resulted in a fumble (and 5-yard loss). Another time Griffin fell after a play fake leading to a sack. He was nearly intercepted once, albeit on a leaping attempt by the defensive back. So he wasn’t perfect. But Griffin delivered what the Redskins needed.

Griffin got into a rhythm early without needing to make big throws downfield thanks to smart play-calling.

Washington used bubble screen after bubble screen to keep the Saints’ defense chasing on the perimeter. That wasn’t necessarily the game plan, as some of those were called at the line based on the coverage. They worked because of the zone-read fakes by Griffin. Time and again he froze the linebackers, enabling blockers to set an inside lane for the receiver.

Later, the Redskins started handing off on those plays. But even then, when the Saints linebackers anticipated a handoff, Griffin would hit them with a play-action pass for a big gain. That’s what happened on a fourth-down, 13-yard pass to receiver Aldrick Robinson in which a passing lane opened because of the fake.

“They would see the look and think they knew what was coming,” Griffin said afterward. “They weren’t confused. They thought they had it right and we hit them with something else.”

Griffin showed he could take a hit and still deliver. On an 88-yard touchdown pass to Pierre Garcon, with nearly all of it coming after the catch, Griffin stood in with blitzing safety Malcolm Jenkins bearing down.

Garcon was the primary target but rather than dump the ball off, Griffin stood in and delivered a pass under pressure. Garcon made a jumping catch without breaking stride as Griffin hit the ground.

“I had enough time to look back and throw to him,” said Griffin, holding the ball from that score in his press conference. “One thing receivers don’t like to do is run across the middle for a long period of time. He did a good job finishing the play.”

One reason Griffin won the Heisman Trophy at Baylor was his athleticism. Yes, that was on display in New Orleans too. On a bootleg to the left in the second quarter, Griffin ignored a semi-open fullback Darrel Young in the left flat. Instead, RG3 turned and threw back deep to Fred Davis for a 26-yard gain, showing his laser arm.

Another time Griffin ran to the right on a fourth-and-1 and lofted a deep ball to receiver Aldrick Robinson, matched one-on-one with safety Roman Harper in the end zone. Harper was called for pass interference. Griffin wanted to hit fullback Young, but he was bumped at the line. Griffin then used his speed to get outside and help make a huge play, which led to a touchdown.

Griffin received help from the defense and rookie running back Alfred Morris, who rushed for 96 yards on 28 carries.

“This is a long-term growing experience and the first game of the year,” Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said of Griffin. “Guys rallied around him and took a lot of pressure off him.”

Griffin received more hype than any other Redskins rookie in history. It’s tough to measure what he means to a fan base that has seen three playoff seasons since 1993 and dozens of quarterbacks. But Griffin seems oblivious to it, on the field and off. He said he spent a quiet night in his room, having left his cell phone in Virginia. He has family in New Orleans, but he was still able to relax.

“Not try to stress or prove anything to anyone,” he said. “Just go have fun. The guys in that locker room, I was still a rookie to them. After this game they told me I’m not a rookie anymore.”